This proposal specifically requests funds for the purchase of a FUJIX BAS 2000 Bio-lmaging Analysis System for the University of North Dakota School of Medicine. This system contains a storage- phosphor image capture device which is used to assess quantitative differences between emissions of several different radioisotopes commonly used in a wide variety of molecular biological and biochemical assay procedures. This phosphoimaging system will be extensively utilized by the laboratories of nine major users from three different basic science departments. Currently there are 6 active NIH grants, two pending renewals and one new submission among the major users. Currently, x-ray film autoradiography is the only means available for data acquisition and analysis of standard molecular biological applications. The only device available for this application is a Hewlett-Packard Scan Jet Plus connected to a Macintosh-based image analysis package located in and shared with the Biology Department of the University. After reviewing the needs of investigators in the Medical School it was determined by an Internal Advisory Committee that access to this system was limited by its location in another building and by its use by members of the Biology Department faculty. Furthermore, it was determined that x-ray film-based image analysis is not adequate to meet the needs of the individual projects. The projects described by the major users of this proposal indicate a compelling need for an analysis system capable of detecting extremely low signal and distinguishing differences over a broad spectrum of radioisotope emission. Thus, the primary justification for the need of a storage-phosphor image analysis system over other image analysis devices-is its wide dynamic range and sensitivity relative to x-ray film technology, as well as its spatial resolution. The Medical School administration has approved the recommendations of the Internal Advisory Committee for the purchase of the FUJIX BAS 2000 and has agreed to support this proposal by allocating exclusive space for the imaging system in a Molecular Biology core facility located in the newly constructed Institute for Agricultural Health Sciences and Rural Medicine. Additionally, the Medical School has agreed to cover the costs of the service contract for the phosphor imaging system (equals approximately 10,000/yr) beginning the second year after purchase. The addition of this system to the Molecular Biology core facility not only provides image analysis capabilities that are essentially non-existent, but also provides advanced quantitative capabilities to the major users that will allow them to enhance and extend their current research programs.